Shang Lioness
by Hades' Halls
Summary: This is what I think would have happened if Jon had turned Alanna in at the end of 'Alanna The First Adventure'.  Alanna goes to the Shang.  As of now I think the story will be Alanna/George...please review.  I own nothing, all Pierce.
1. Chapter 1

_She lay silent for a while, listening to the sounds in the night. At last she gathered her courage. "What're you going to do about me?"_

His voice was strained, "I have to tell my parents and Uncle. I'm honor bound to."

She nodded but didn't say anything. He rolled over to look at her, "Are you going to run off in the middle of the nigh?"

She shook her head, "I'm not leaving, I'll face the consequences of my actions."

"They might banish you."

Alanna smiled, humorlessly, "Jon, they will most certainly banish me, it is possible they will even kill me."

Jon lurched up, "No! Why would they?"

Again Alanna smiled, "I committed treason."

Jon shook his head, "I won't let them kill you."  
For the last time that night Alanna smiled, "Of course, Jon." If they wanted to kill her, not even Crown Prince Jonathan could stop them, "Can we get some sleep?"

He nodded. A few minutes later they were both asleep. The two woke up in the light of dawn. Silently they got onto their horses and rode back to Persopolis. The guards stared as the two rode in. Alanna, remembering she only wore a tunic, blushed. The two gave their horses to the stable hands and walked into the castle. They went down back corridors that had little light hoping to avoid people. But, as luck would have it, the first people saw were Gary and Raoul. "Jon, Alan we've been looking for you two!"

Gary frowned, "Alan, why aren't you wearing breaches and why have you got um…breasts?"

Alanna hung her head, "I'm not Alan. Well I am, but Alan isn't real. My name is Alanna, I wanted to be a knight and my brother wanted to be a sorcerer so we switched. He forged papers saying we were twin boys and he went to the convent, then the cloisters, and I came here. I never wanted to lie! But I wanted my shield and I don't really regret what I did. Oh, and it was all my idea."

Raoul's mouth dropped and Gary spluttered, "But...who knew?"

Alanna looked up, "Coram, I told him I would use magic against him if he didn't agree, George knew, I needed his help once, and I think Myles might have guessed. And now you three."

Raoul had finally closed his mouth he opened it again, but to speak this time, "So, what now?"

Alanna looked at Jon; after all, she had been following him. Jon glanced at Alanna, "Now, we're going to stop by Alan-na's room so she can get dressed then we have to see Uncle Gareth."

Alanna nodded when all three boys looked at her. They spent a few more seconds in silence before Gary nodded, "Well, I assume we're all coming with you, yes?" at once Raoul and Jon nodded. Gary continued, "Well then let's go."

Alanna smiled sadly and they all set out. A few minutes later the four of them were waiting outside Duke Gareth's chambers. Alanna took a deep breath and knocked on the door. "It's open."

The four walked in and Duke Gareth didn't look up, "What is it boys?"

Alanna took a deep breath and started her speech, "My name is Alanna, you know me as Alan, I wanted to be a knight and my brother, Thom, wanted to be a sorcerer so we switched. He forged papers saying we were twin boys and he went to the convent and I came here. I never wanted to lie. But I wanted my shield and I don't really regret what I did. It was all my idea."


	2. Chapter 2

The second she said Alanna Duke Gareth had looked up, throughout the speech he had turned a lovely shade of red, in a voice that was deadly quiet he said, "Alan…na, you know what you did was treason, correct?"

Alanna closed her eyes for a second, "Yes, your Grace."

"And yet you did it anyway?" He was screaming now.

"Yes, your Grace." She wanted to defend herself but if she had learned anything it was that excuses are worthless.

"You understand that you may not try for your shield and I shall send a letter to your father, with any luck he will be at the Palace when we return. Once we return there will be a trail. At this point it will probably be wisest to let your brother continue his training. Beside your father and their Majesties would you like me to send a letter to anyone else?"

Alanna nodded her understanding, "No, thank you, your Grace."

Duke Gareth nodded, "You will stop your training right now. You will stay with us as a guest and you are to move you belongings to a room I shall have some one set up for you. I assume you do not have any dresses?"

Alanna nodded, "Your Grace, I will stop my training and move my belongings but I will not wear a dress. I am sorry, and I do not mean to be rude, but I am still me the only difference between Alan and Alanna is the fact that one is a boy and the other a girl. I still hate dresses and I still enjoy the fighting arts. I am sorry, you Grace, but I will not wear a dress."

Duke Gareth tilted his head, "You will bring shame upon your family."

It was Alanna turn to tilt her head, "I will be shocked if my father doesn't disown me. And, no offense, but I don't think refusing to wear a dress will be the part of this that will bring my family shame."

The Duke nodded, "You will stay here until all of your packs are moved."

With that he started to write the letters. Alanna sat in a chair and just thought. The boys left. A minute later someone knocked on the door, "Come in."

Myles walked in, saw Alanna in the chair and demanded an explanation. So Alanna gave her speech again. Myles nodded when she finished, "Well, I can't say I'm surprised but why did you do it?"

Alanna frowned, "I want to be a knight, I want to help people."

"Wanted Alanna not want."

Alanna shook her head, "No, I still want to help and I still want to be knight. Now I just can't be a knight."

Both men waited for her to say she could no longer help people, when she realized what they were waiting for she laughed to herself, "I will find a way to help people. I'll never become a knight," she paused as the realization hit her, "but I will help people."

Myles smiled at the girls' stubbornness and the Duke just shook his head, still believing this was some little girls' dream, a dream she would grow out off. Myles stood up, pulled her into a one-armed hug, and left. The Duke returned to his letter and Alanna returned to her thoughts.

A knock roused Alanna from her musings. She looked up as Timon came in, bowed, told Duke Gareth the room was ready, and received his orders to show Alanna to her room. Alanna followed Timon to her new room. He left once they reached the door.

For the rest of her stay Alanna had her meals delivered to her room and she talked to no one. She practiced with her weapons almost all day and she spent half the night planning; she knew her father would disown her once he read the letter. Most likely she would be banished if so she would travel, but travel where. That where was the problem. She could come back to the desert, she just had to make sure to stay away from the Tortallan part of the desert. She could head to the Roof of the World, but that was cold. She could simply visit the surrounding countries, but that sound kind of boring. There was the option of random travels, but what could she do, would she not get extremely bored. She had decided.


	3. Chapter 3

They reached the Palace and Alanna started to head inside when Duke Gareth stopped her, "Your belongings have already been moved. I'll have one the maids show you where you will stay till the trail."

Alanna nodded and followed the maid, who had already started to babble away. _Goddess, what is the woman saying? Just nod, that might work._ Alanna walked into her room and gave the woman a coin and smile. No one had thought of taking her weapons away so she continued her newly found tradition of practicing in her room. The trail was in a week. On the sixth day when the sun fell and Alanna made sure her weapons were in place, she pulled a cloak around herself, and fixed her breast band. She hadn't worn one of her special corsets since the Yasindar made her clothes disappear. She slipped out the second story window and bribed a gate guard for passage. She walked the familiar path to the Dove.


	4. Chapter 4

Alanna pushed open the door, and slipped into the shadows. Everyone could see her, but in the shadows she looked like Alan. Once behind George she asked if they could talk upstairs, he nodded and she followed him up. George sat down, "I know. What I don't know is what you're going to do when they banish you?"

Alanna smiled, of course he knows, she thought. "I'll write, you know I will."

He shook his head, "Not what I meant and you know it."

"I need to find a Shang warrior. Know of any who wouldn't mind taking me on?"

George shook his head. The spent the rest of the evening talking, once the sun started to come up George walked to Temple district. They stopped and Alanna threw herself into George's arms. He held her tighter and kissed her hair. He pulled back, enough so he could see the single tear that rolled down her face.

He brushed it away and forced Alanna to look him in the eye, "You know if I could I would go with you?"

She nodded, he continued, "I love you, now before you scream at me, I don't need you to love me back I just wanted you to know."

Surprisingly, "I'll miss you," is all she said.

He bent over and kissed her, "We'll see each other again, I promise."


	5. Chapter 5

Again she nodded. With one last hug she sprinted back to her room and climbed in. She had her food brought to her, took a nap, practiced, and got ready for the trail. When the maid came to get her she walked into the throne room with her head held high. She told the truth, gave no excuses, and never regretted any of it.

The last words she remembered from that evening were, "Mistress Alanna, you have been stripped of your noble rank. You are now Alanna, a common woman, and are hereby banished for Tortall until the day of your 18th birthday."


	6. Chapter 6

Alanna fell on her back, again. The Shang Unicorn looked at her, "What's going on? This is the third time you've let me knock you over!"

Alanna blinked, "The sun came up."

Kaylaia nodded, "Yes the sun tends to do that?"

"I'm 18. I can go…home?"

The Unicorn looked at her, "So, to Tortall then?"

Alanna smiled, "Would you mind?"

"Of course not. I actually got a summons from the Palace, they want to know if the Lioness and the Unicorn would mind helping teach the pages. If we leave tomorrow we'll have an extra night and afternoon in the city, before we have to head up to the Palace. So do you just want to go back to the Palace right away or…"

Alanna jumped up, "No, I mean could we, please, stay at the Dancing Dove?"

The older woman smiled, Alanna had told her everything, _everything_, that had happened, "I thought you might want to go see George first."

Alanna blushed and muttered, "It's not like that Kaylaia! I just miss him!"

"Uh-huh. Now, pay attention. We leave tomorrow but today we finish practice!"

Alanna swept her feet out and knocked Kaylaia over, she jumped to her feet as the older woman rolled to hers. The two fought for a few more hours. They spent the late-morning packing, the afternoon fighting, the evening in town; teaching a handful of people basic defense, a few hours of the night fighting each other; again. The next morning the woman grabbed their bags, saddled their horses, and rode out. No one talked; both women were lost in thought.

Alanna thought about her life since she was found out. Her hair was still cut boyishly short and her eyes were still purple. She was short, well muscled, and fairly thin. A while ago Kaylaia had nicknamed Alanna the Lioness. Recently, everyone knew the Unicorn was teaching the Lioness. They knew the Lioness had been in many battles and was quite good at what she did. Some even knew she had the Dominion Jewel, but only Kaylaia and George knew Alanna and the Lioness were the same person. Alanna knew she would never become a real Shang because she had the Gift but it was nice to think she had a war name. The Unicorn had been nice enough to take her on and then the woman had even found people with the Gift, to help train her.

Kaylaia thought about Alanna's progress. A month ago the two went to the yearly Shang conference. Alanna could best everyone, but the Unicorn, with her weapons; dagger, axe, bow and arrow, and sword. The Unicorn, Griffin, and Dragon could beat Alanna in hand-to-hand combat but Alanna could beat everyone else.


	7. Chapter 7

A week later, a few hours before sunrise, found Alanna staring at the door to the Dancing Dove. She turned to Kaylaia, "Could you take our stuff in and get our rooms, I'm going to see George."

Kaylaia nodded, Alanna handed over her pack, threw a coin at the stable boy and started to climb up the wall. Kaylaia walked into the Dove got two rooms, threw Alanna's bag into her room, closed the door, walked into her own room, dropped her pack, and fell asleep.

Alanna reached George's window and slipped inside. A knife went to her throat, "Didn't your mama teach ya to use doors?"

Alanna smiled, "I'm not here to kill ya, and do you say that every time someone breaks into your room?"

George pressed on her a neck a little harder, "Who are ya?"  
Alanna was getting annoyed, the knife hurt. So, she grabbed his arm swung it down and threw him over her body. Still holding the arm, she pulled the knife out and smiled, "I'm hurt that you forgot me so soon! I've only been gone a few years."

George paled, "Alanna?"

She smiled, let him up, and used her gift to light a candle, "Yep."


	8. Chapter 8

He jumped up grabbed her and swung her around. He set her down but didn't let go, "Ah, lass, it's good to see ya again."

She just buried her head into his chest, "I've missed you."

He pulled back so she was arms length away, "What happened to 'I'll write you know I will', Lioness!"

Alanna looked down and turned a little pink, "I wrote!"

George pulled her back to him, "Once maybe twice every few months, lass."

Alanna pulled back, "Oh, because you wrote so often!"

He smiled and spun her around again. This time he deposited her in a chair. "Now, what have you been up to, your letters were vague?"

She smiled and told him everything. How she found the Unicorn and about her training, she told him about the Shang conference. She told him about the different wars she was in, how her Gift training was going, and she told him what she knew of her brother. Halfway through her story about going to the roof of the world she started yawning. Right before she fell asleep in her chair she told him about holding onto the Dominion jewel until she could come home and how she needed to present it to the King tomorrow. George laughed once he realized she was asleep. He picked her up and put her in his bed then fell asleep on his chair.


	9. Chapter 9

Alanna woke up to someone pounding on the door. She looked around as last night came flooding back to her and George threw open the door to Kaylaia screaming, "Where is she? Cooper if you hurt her I'll kill you!"

At that Alanna jumped out of the bed and Kaylaia walked over to her, "You missed dawn practice."

Alanna bowed her head, "Sorry, I was up late?"

"Excuse, but I'll accept it due to the odd circumstances."

Alanna looked up and smiled, "When do we have to leave?"

George stood up taller and put an arm around Alanna's shoulder, "Lass, you just got here. Why'd you be leavin' so soon?"

Alanna looked at the arm, laughed, "We have to go up to the Palace. Duke Gareth and the King want the Unicorn and the Lioness to teach the pages."

George raised an eyebrow, "Does his Grace know that the Lioness is Alanna."

Both women blushed and looked down, "We figured he'd let Alanna stay, or at least consider it, if we actually talked to him." Kaylaia said quietly.

George bit his lip to stop from smiling, "Ah, so you figured you'd trick him?"

Alanna barely stopped herself from stomping her foot, "No! We just thought he only needed to know that the Lioness was coming, surely his Grace is to busy to worry about the Lioness's real name?"

George nodded, "You figured you'd trick him."

Both women blushed and nodded.


	10. Chapter 10

George walked downstairs, with his arm still around Alanna, the three sat down to a late breakfast and talked a bit more. Alanna and Kaylaia worked out, took showers, changed, and packed. In the afternoon George walked them to Temple district he nodded to Kaylaia and told Alanna to come visit then kissed her on the cheek. She shuddered remembering the last time she went to the Palace.


	11. Chapter 11

Timon let them into Duke Gareth's study. He looked up and saw Alanna first, "Trebond?"

Alanna thought for a moment then said, "It's Alanna the Lioness now, I'm no longer noble."

Duke Gareth nodded once then, "Lioness you know about your father, right?"

Her eyes hardened a little then, "I know Lord Alan of Trebond has passed on," her eyes softened as she said, "I also know Lord Thom of Trebond, my brother, died during his Sorcery Ordeal."

Again Gareth nodded, he noticed that Alanna had disowned her father as much as he disowned her but Alanna still called Thom her brother. He shook his head slightly, "Yes, well as you are 18 you are allowed back. I see no problems with you staying to teach."

Alanna smiled, "Thank you, your Grace."

Duke Gareth and Kaylaia worked out the details of their stay. They two had connecting rooms. Kaylaia was going to stay for five years, at least, but Alanna was allowed to leave by the end of the year. The Dominion Jewel was to be presented at the ball tonight.

Alanna spent the rest of the day in her room, unpacking, napping, thinking, and then getting ready for the ball. Alanna wore a smoky silver, off the shoulder, dress, with a modest scoop neck and long flowing sleeves. She placed a handful of daggers within easy reach then pulled her hair into a messy bun and pinned it in place with white gold pins. Thom had left Alanna the Trebond fortune, so she was doing well. She put in white gold ear bobs but nothing else. Kaylaia walked in wearing a tight blue dress with flowing sleeves, like Alanna Kaylaia hid daggers up her sleeves. Kaylaia, also, wore a sheer white overcoat, "Well, child, are you ready?"

Alanna nodded, "Lets get this over with."

Kaylaia laughed and the two walked in silence to the top of the stairs, the grad staircase. _I'm going to trip and fall, oh Goddess don't let me trip_, thought Alanna. Alanna did not trip, she did not pause even when she saw Jon, Gary, and Raoul. She kept her head up and curtsied when she was in front of the King and Queen. "Your Majesties, I have traveled to the roof of the world and back and I am here to present to you the fruit of my travels. The Dominion Jewel."

Their Majesties accepted the Jewel and thanked Alanna. Alanna walked out of the ballroom and onto a balcony, Gary, Raoul, and Jon followed.


	12. Chapter 12

Gary looked at her, "Alanna?"

She smiled, shyly, "Hello?"

The boys stared for a moment and before she could blink they were hugging her. Once they let go Raoul asked, "What have you been doing? Where have you even been? When did you become the Lioness?"

Alanna smiled, "Not here, meet me after the dance on the training fields we'll talk then?"

The boys all nodded and Gary and Raoul left. Jon looked at Alanna and sat down next to her, "I'm sorry."

She shook her head, "Don't be, you did what you were supposed to do."

He shook his head, "I suppose so. But sometimes I wonder…"

Duke Roger came out before Alanna could respond, "Jon, your parents are looking for you. Oh, excuse me Lioness, I didn't see you there."

Alanna smiled, nodded, "Of course, Your Grace." Suddenly she felt claws in her head, similar to the Yasandir, she did not appreciate the feeling. Just as quickly the feeling stopped. Alanna stood up; something wasn't right with this man, "If you will excuse me?"

She left before anyone could answer.


	13. Chapter 13

She walked out of the ballroom and into her room. She dropped her dress and put all her daggers away, then put on breeches and a sleeveless tunic. Alanna pulled her hair into a horsetail and walked down to the training grounds. Alanna started some stretches and had progressed into tumbling, cartwheels, and the like by the time Gary and Raoul got there. Gary clapped and Alanna jumped out of her handstand.

"Where's Jon?"

Raoul answered, "He'll be here soon."

Alanna nodded, "Well I'm only telling the story once so we'll wait." Then she went back to her workout.

A few minutes later Jon came in, "Sorry. I couldn't leave until I talked to just about everyone!"

Alanna smiled, stopped kicking thin air, and said, "I guess you all want to hear my story?"

The boys all nodded and Alanna begin, "Don't interrupt, you can ask all your questions at the end. Clear?" Again all the boys nodded. Alanna took a deep breath, "Lets see. After the trial I took Moonlight and rode into Cria, in Galla, which is where I found Kaylaia, The Unicorn. I had just used the last of my money to buy dinner, I was thinking about what to do next. She came over and sat down in front of me. Asked why I dressed like a boy, I asked her the same thing. She laughed, told me she was Shang and repeated her question. I told her about being a banished page. Kaylaia was quiet for a moment before asking how much money I had. I told her I had none. And the next thing I know she jumped up and decided I was going to be her student. I told her I had the Gift, the Shang doesn't accept those with the Gift. She sat, thought it over, and decided I would become her traveling companion; but she would train me as if I was her student. She even found people to teach me magic when we were in a village or city." Alanna was silent for a moment, "Right, life continued for a while, we traveled. Everywhere but the Copper Isles and Tortall, I told Kaylaia everything. We were in a little village in Maren when we heard about the Tusaine war. Obviously, we weren't allowed to come into Tortall and help, but we were allowed in Tusaine. We spied and sent the information to George, who passed it on to someone, we also took out some of the people who marched at the back of the armies. We really didn't do much. The most important thing we found out Jem was Count Jemis, we told George. George told me he told Myles, Myles told the King and you all held him hostage. Used him to get a peace treaty, right?"

Jon nodded, "A little more complicated than that, but yes, that was the idea."

Alanna smiled, "After the war…we fought a few more battles, traveled, and trained. A few months ago we went to the Roof of the world, got the Dominion Jewel, went down to a village right by the border in Tusaine. We were there up until about a week ago, when we were traveling and the past two days we were here. I think that's everything."


	14. Chapter 14

Gary looked at her, "And all this traveling stopped you from sending letters?"

Alanna frowned, "Well, no…"

"Then why didn't you write?" Raoul asked.

"I didn't think you wanted me to write…"

"Of course we wanted you to write!" Gary yelled.

"Oh. Sorry."

Jon looked at her, "Sorry? 7 years with no contact and all she says is sorry?"

Alanna looked up, "Well, what do you want me to do about it?"

Raoul smiled, "We wanted you to write."

"Well, I said sorry."  
The bell tolled 1. Alanna looked up, "Oh, Kaylaia wanted me back in our rooms like an hour ago. I'll see you all tomorrow."

The boys looked at her. "Why?"

She stood up, walked to the door, turned around, and said, "Training."

Jon frowned, "We're knights. We don't have classes."

"So you don't want to learn Shang style fighting? Or see me and Kaylaia scare the pages?"

"I'll be there," Raoul said.

Gary and Jon nodded their agreement.

Alanna slipped into her room, dropped her clothes , put on a nightshirt, and was out the second her head hit the pillow. She woke up a few hours later to her clothes being thrown at her head, "What in the name of-"

Kaylaia cut her off, "Get up. Get dressed. Met me for breakfast."  
"Yes ma'am."

She grabbed britches and a tunic, washed, dressed, and ran down to meet Kaylaia for breakfast. Only problem, Alanna had no idea where Kaylaia was. Instead she ran down to the pages hall, being the only place she really knew in the palace. Luckily for her Kaylaia had gone to the pages hall too. Both women, who hated breakfast, grabbed fruit and wandered down to the training ground.

Kaylaia smiled, "You teach basics today, I'm just going to watch from the corner."

Jon, Gary, and Raoul walked in and stood against the front wall. Alanna nodded as the bell rang and first year pages started pouring in.


End file.
